Romanian dual citizens retain rights despite identity card revocations, experts clarify
Moldovan citizens holding dual Romanian nationality will not lose their citizenship, personal identification numbers (CNP), or child social benefits if their Romanian identity cards are revoked. Silviu Gabriel Barbu, former head of the National Authority for Citizenship (ANC), clarified that the measure targets document validity, not legal status.
The surge in revocations follows Romania’s 2023 legislative effort to eliminate the practice of registering hundreds or even thousands of individuals at a single address. New regulations now limit residency registration to a maximum of 10 people per household, excluding extended family members.
"The Romanian state is attempting to introduce order by clarifying how many people can legally reside at one address," Barbu stated. He emphasized that while the physical ID card may be invalidated, fundamental rights remain untouched, though documents must be renewed through official channels.
Social benefits, including child allowances, continue to be processed regardless of the ID card’s status. However, Barbu warned that individuals might face practical hurdles at banks or border crossings within the EU, where invalidated documents appear in security databases.
Romanian authorities have documented extreme cases of administrative fraud, including a two-room apartment in Bucharest where over 22,000 people were officially registered. By the end of 2025, over 162,000 identity cards are expected to be revoked, affecting more than 100,000 Moldovan residents.
To mitigate the impact, Romanian officials are exploring the introduction of electronic ID cards. These new documents would explicitly list the holder's actual residence in the Republic of Moldova, streamlining the process for dual citizens while maintaining the integrity of the national registry.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
